Three anti-gun bills passed yesterday in the state House Rules Committee and could be voted on at anytime when the House convenes next Tuesday. The three following bills are a direct attack on your Second Amendment rights and must be stopped!House Bill 1294, introduced by state Representative Edward Acevedo (D-2), seeks to ban countless semi-automatic handguns, rifles, and shotguns, many parts for them, as well as .50 caliber rifles and ammunition.House Bill 1599, also introduced by Representative Acevedo, would classify countless semi-automatic handguns, rifles, and shotguns as “semi-automatic assault weapons,” and would classify as “high capacity ammunition” any “ammunition of .50 or more caliber.” This bill would also create enhanced felony penalties under the Unlawful Use of Weapons (UUW) statute if a “semi-automatic assault weapon” or “high capacity ammunition” is involved. Much of the UUW statute deals with simply possessing regulated “weapons.”House Bill 1855, again introduced by Representative Acevedo, would create penalties for individuals who have had their firearms stolen if they fail to report the theft in an arbitrarily determined time-frame. Under this bill, (which should be titled the “Crime Victim Victimization Act,”) if a law-abiding gun owner has a firearm stolen and fails to report its theft “within 72 hours after obtaining knowledge of the theft,” the crime victim would be charged with committing a petty offense. A second “offense” could lead to the crime victim losing his or her Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card, thus losing his or her right to own ANY firearm. In other words, as a crime victim, you would be treated the same as the criminal who stole your property if you fail to jump through this bureaucratic hoop in the arbitrary time that the government deems to be a timely fashion.Please contact your state Representative TODAY and urge him or her to protect your Second Amendment rights and oppose HB 1294, HB 1599, and HB 1855! To locate your state Representative and their contact information, please click here.

Second Amendment Bullying!
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is reportedly turning up the heat on his anti-gun crusade. Described by some in the media as a bully when it comes to promoting certain aspects of his political agenda, it would not be a stretch to presume that he would resort to bullying Illinois lawmakers into passing several bills that should be considered anathema to our nation’s long history of promoting freedom for its citizens. Emanuel’s anti-gun efforts are currently focused on two bills.

House Bill 5167, introduced by state Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-14), seeks to impose a two percent tax on firearm ammunition purchases. (I've already written Rep Cassidy with no response)

House Bill 5831, sponsored by state Representative William Davis (D-30), would implement a statewide handgun registry scheme. These bills can best be described as attempts to use punitive taxes and unwarranted bureaucratic fees to discourage the law-abiding
residents of Illinois from exercising their rights protected under the Second Amendment. HB 5167 would not only impose the two percent ammo tax, but would also establish that the funds be used by the Illinois Department of Public Health to fund a newly-created High Crime Trauma Center Grant Fund. The tax revenue would allegedly be used to defray the financial cost violent criminals inflict on society when their illegal acts result in someone needing emergency treatment at a trauma center in “high crime areas.” In other words, if the criminal actions of gang-bangers, drug dealers, rapists, and thugs lands someone in a trauma center, Emanuel is basically telling law-abiding gun owners, “It’s your fault, now pay up!” When someone who owns firearms for personal protection, hunting, competitive shooting, plinking, or any lawful activity buys ammunition, Emanuel wants to impose a “sin tax” on that person to address the violent crime he is incapable of, or unwilling to, address with real crime-fighting measures. HB 5831 would impose a $65 registration fee for each handgun lawfully acquired in Illinois, as well as require a renewal fee for registration of $25 every five years. Failure to comply with the law could result in a felony conviction. If you forget to renew your registration, you could go to jail. If you move and forget to notify the authorities within 72 hours, you could go to jail. If you take your handgun to the range, remember your FOID Card, but forget your registration certificate, you could go to jail. As a final insult, the legislation seeks to impose what should be called a “Crime Victim Victimization Law,” which would impose penalties on an otherwise law-abiding gun owner if he or she fails to report the theft or loss of a firearm in an arbitrarily-determined amount of time. So, if someone breaks intoyour home, steals your property, and you do not report it in a way that satisfies Emanuel, you could face criminal penalties. With Emanuel ratcheting up his attack on law-abiding gun owners and the Second Amendment, it is imperative that you contact your state Representative today and urge him or her to oppose House Bills 5167 and 5831.

In addition, please continue to voice your objections to House Bills 1294, 1599 and 1855, which the NRA previously reported on here. These anti-gun bills could be considered at anytime.

__________________The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.

I just wrote the Governor, my state senator and representative (all dems) after getting the above e-mail. I've never done that before but if this crap passes, I'm moving to Indiana. What do you think are the chances that these bills will actually pass?

They are always most concerned with job security. If they think they're getting voted out, they will not pass the bills. I also wrote to all the pols involved, told them I will be voting against them next election cycle unless they oppose these bills. We need to get as many people as possible to do the same.

__________________The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.

Illinois reminds me of a 50-foot tall retarded child who sees the world growing up around him, but hasn't got the emotional maturity to do anything but stamp his feet. And stamping his feet does a whole lot of damage.

__________________Matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration; we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death. Life is a dream, and we're the imagination of ourselves. And now...the weather! ---- Bill Hicks

If you haven't already done so, please contact your representatives and tell them to vote NO!

Consideration of ExtremeAnti-Second Amendment Legislation by the Illinois House This Week

Call Your state RepresentativeTODAY and Demand Protection of Your Rights From RadicalPoliticians!

In additionto Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s handgun licensing and ammunition taxschemes mentioned here, several other anti-gun bills are expected to seeaction this week in Springfield:

HouseBill 4149 and House Bill 4456, both introduced by state Representative Kelly Cassidy(D-14), would require private transfers of handguns to go through a FederalFirearms License (FFL) holder, and allow for fees (gun taxes) forsuch transfers.

HouseBill 3809, also introduced by RepresentativeCassidy, would create a new felony offense for anyone who transfers afirearm to someone the transferor "knows is a street gangmember." While this may appear to be a good idea on its face,as is normally the case with anti-gun extremists like Cassidy,the "devil is in the details." This legislationdefines "street gang" very broadly and vaguely. Theoretically,an organization such as a sportsmen's club, trade association, union, or anyother group of individuals that identify themselves collectively because of aparticular shared interest, religious affiliation, or even ethnic background,could be labeled a "street gang" under this bill if enacted intolaw. All it would take, for example, is for the organization to have beenofficially involved in "any criminal activity" that is intended toincrease the organization's size or otherwise benefit the group. Violentacts, drug-related acts, serious felony offenses, or anything elseone would commonly associate with a "street gang”would not need to be among the activities carried out by these organizations inorder to deem them a “street gang” under this legislation. Furthermore, if a group is identified under existing law as a "streetgang," it is not clear if the person transferring the firearm need beaware of this fact in order to be charged under this proposal. It wouldappear that, as long as the person transferring the firearm knows theindividual to whom he or she is making the transfer is a member of theorganization, it does not matter if he or she knows the group is identified asa "street gang." Therefore, even if you follow existing lawsregarding transferring firearms in Illinois perfectly, you could still becharged under this anti-gun scheme.

Finally, House Bill 4457, again sponsored by Representative Cassidy, appears totarget only felons and those "in the Custody of the Department ofCorrections Facilities" with increased penalties for illegally carrying afirearm. The NRA does not oppose this particular provision. However, this bill also targets any individual who is carrying a firearm forpersonal protection if that person does not have a valid FOID card. Evensomeone with no criminal history and who is doing nothing more dangerous thancarrying a firearm for personal protection, could face three to six years inprison for a first-time offense. The current penalty is one to threeyears. In a state like Illinois, which is the ONLY state in thenation that has NO provision for law-abiding citizens to lawfully carry afirearm for personal protection, these increased penalties are clearlyintended as yet another means the state may use to punish those who understandthe true meaning of the Second Amendment and wish to provide for their personalprotection against the acts of violent criminals.

Please be sure to contact your stateRepresentative IMMEDIATELY and urge him or her to OPPOSE House Bills 4149,4456, 3809, 4457, as well as the previously reported on House Bills 1294, 5167, and 5831.

Contact information foryour state Representative can be found by clicking here.

__________________The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.